Thursday, October 21, 2010

Mr. Pillz: "No, I think you've answered them... I'm just skittish about it. I mean, I hate pills. I haven't taken any in years. I never go to the drugstore. I'm not even sure where to get this filled."

Dr. Grumpy: "Is there a pharmacy near you?"

Mr. Pillz: "Yes, a Walgreen's at 5752 E. Dingo Lane, 1 block east of me. Their number is 867-5309."

Whereas I am always in the CVS across the street from my apartment, but I couldn't tell you anything about it except the street name (but there are 2 other CVS locations on that same street, so it's not very helpful at the doctor's office).At least he was considerate enough to bring the phone number. Sometimes we can learn things from even the most irritating patients!

I called that number a few times back in 1982. And yes, now it is in my head. Thanks for the ear worm!

There is a CVS not far from my house, and I actually know what street it's on, but only because my favorite Mexican restaurant is next door. My favorite Mexican restaurant runs a special on Thursday nights...32 ounces of Mexican beer for $1.75. Sometimes I stop by the CVS for Tums on the way home...burritos and big beer, whew!

Riiiiiiight. I know the phone number for my pharmacy. They all know the members of my family by name (prescriptions much?? naaaaaaah) and probably have our birth dates memorized as well (although they do check physically as required) but I have to check on the paper in my purse or on one of my phones.

Their number is plugged into my home phone & cell phone as well as being on my emergency information sheet that I keep in my wallet & purse. I get all of my prescriptions there and that way in need someone can call them (during working hours) and double check the meds I'm currently on against what's on the sheet. Address?? Does the corner of Memorial & Ironwood count??

Haha, the pharmacy I work at is just a few blocks down from me, and I barely know the address. I can say the intersection, but I couldn't tell you the street number. I've been there over a year... something is indeed shady here.

It's possible. I knew the phone number of one of the pharmacies in town years before I started using it.

People who want to call the pharmacy misdial a couple times a week and phone me instead. For a while my answering machine outgoing message said, "You've reached the WarmSocks household. If you're trying to call the pharmacy, that number is 1123; if you're trying to reach the realtor's office, that number is 1233. For our friends who actually wanted to call 1223, if you leave a message, we'll get back to you."

Good point about the close phone numbers. My in-laws phone number was one digit off from a juvenile detention home, so I knew the number of the detention home since my in-laws used to get calls for them all the time.

Twice a day, everyday, for two weeks I got a call from the same wrong # from AZ (I live in IL). The first few times I told her she had the wrong number, she apologized and then did it again. Finally, a bit angry since I had stopped answering when she called and her getting my voice mail something inside told me to dig deeper. So, I again told her (the next time she called) she had the wrong number. She told me she was trying to reach her brother in the town over from me and that his number was 867-6309 and I told her she was close but my number was 867-6209. She was all upset becasue she was trying to reach her brother and she was terminally ill going through Chemo. I talked to her for 30 minutes (I felt badly for her) and at the end of the conversation I called her brother and asked him to call her. It all worked out in the end..........but the whole ONE number off happens to me all the time. In this case I knew this lady was lonly, and sick so I occasionally would call her to see how she was doing and if she needed anything (like for me to call her brother). About two weeks ago I called to do just that and her sister answered and told me she had passed away a few days earlier. She thanked me for calling her sister it made her day (I only did it 3-4 times). Random post, I know!

long time reader, first time commentor...I'm dying to know if this guy has family member (hopefully a chronically ill person)who often uses the pharmacy Mr. Pillz is scared of. If his mommy is a pill popper, this would be fun to disect

In all fairness to Mr. Pillz, it is POSSIBLE that he gets his shampoo, Aqua-Velva, batteries and the latest issue of "Men's Health" there every other week....he just didn't know they sold MEDICINE, too!

My home phone number was the same as our local Walgreen's, except with the last two numbers transposed. Until I got so sick of people calling night and day and finally ditched the line, this one lady would call me at least four times a week, I finally starting answering "This isn't Walgreen's" when I saw her on the caller ID. Sure, I could have just not picked up, but I was invested in bothering her by that point, since she called all the time. I bet those pharmacists haaaaaaaaated her.

To anon who helped the woman with chemo, it's people like you that will someday make this planet a better place. Thank you. - a fellow human being

I've gotten transposed number calls just like everyone else, what kills me are two different situations. When we moved into this house 6 years ago we got the number of a woman named Brenda. I wasn't surprised to get calls for Brenda the first year. Frequent calls. Collectors. okay Employment people. ooookay. Child care, school, welfare people. huh? Family members. say what??

As the years have gone by the number of calls have decreased. Last year I only got about 20. This year about 5. But, of course, the Universe can't let a joke lie and now I'm getting phone calls looking for someone else!! Either Patsy or Patsy's Dad. Creditors. ::head:laptop:repeat::

If I had a dollar for every time I've had to explain, "No, X doesn't live here. What number were you calling? I see, you have called the correct number however no one but my family has used it since [FITB] and the person for whom you are looking is neither a member of my family nor have they ever lived here." I must say I've had some.... interesting.... reactions.

how apropos! puzze - the face of the person on the other side of the phone in these circumstances

Agree with the comments about person who intervened with a caller with chemo...God bless and thanks!

We've lived in this house for 19.5 years and we're still getting calls for Pizza Hut (transposed digits in middle). One time when money was a little tight, we discussed whether or not we should stock up on chili dogs, and suggest an alternative menu item to the late-night callers. Thankfully, Pizza Hut's business hours end after a certain time during the week.

Over the years we've also gotten calls for the local Veteran's Home and the temporary placement agency, but those calls were result from wrongly published numbers, in some directory, I think.

And, for a while personal calls from California for the owners of a local motel (who were our friends) would arrive at hours of the day or night, and sometimes of such a nature that I considered the possibility that they were being threatened from afar.

The interesting situation we had in my job was when a new edition to phone book published the wrong phone extension for calls to the emergency room. We didn't figure it out until we actually received some pretty weird calls. Of course real emergencies were transferred promptly. One call I still remember was from the time when Tylenol tampering occurred not too far away. Whenever this sort of national disaster happens, other people might panic and there are questions and copy-cats, etc. and the call one busy morning in the middle of whatever was going onfrom a middle-aged male factory worker who was sure he found a piece of a rubber tire in his Coke can, just set off the giggles and as there hadn't been time for a restroom break, I remember desperately trying to avoid a loud guffaw at the ridiculous turn the morning was taking, to avoid wetting my britches in front of the other pharmacy personnel.

Years ago when I was in college, my roommate had wangled a number from the phone company that ended in double zero. Not sure how that happened, but it was definitely a residential number. The problem was, the VA Hospital's number was one digit off mine (theirs was xx4-xx00, mine was xx1-xx00) and we were constantly getting calls for them. One caller flatly refused to believe I wasn't someone at the VA switchboard goofing around; I finally told him "Look, this is not the VA, this is [imaginary business name]. My number is X, theirs is Y. You have the wrong number!" He finally believed this; no way would he accept that he'd reached two penniless college students... In the end I had my answering machine message say, "Hi, you have reached (roommate) and (me). If you're trying to reach the VA Hospital, please hang up, put your glasses on, and dial xx4-xx00..."

My current number is or was apparently close to a Burger King's. For the first few years I had it, I was getting lots of wrong numbers for them. What took the cake was when some genius from BK Corporate left me a detailed message on my machine about something pertaining to that store... what the heck? What made them think that A. their store would even have an answering machine, and B., even if it did, that it would give an individual's name and number as the called party, without either "Burger" or "King" mentioned anywhere?

Thank yout to Kat's Kat and Anny 11:36 I didn't think I would go to Grumpy's Site to read comments and cry. It was my pleasure to help that women. If it were my family member or Nana for that matter I would hope that someone would help her. But I guess I know that isn't always the case. Nevertheless, the two of you have made me smile for the first time in days. Thank you for that.

Client tells me that he has his 15 digit drivers license memorized. I ask why would he do such a thing. He says because when he is drinking and driving he never brings his license, so when he gets stopped he tells the cop, Oh, I left it at home but here is my number. The cop figures heck if the guy know his drivers license he can't possibly be drunk and lets him go. Says he has done if for 30 years.

I ran the battered womans shelter at night, including the crisis line. Wouldn't you know, it was one number off Wallgreens. So at 2 AM I get the following question: What happens when you chase your depkote dose with a fifth of bourbon?. I had no idea and told them to call ask a nurse. (I checked with a psych nurse practitioner later, she told me that you get drunk.)

I still carry a pager because of the reliability. One day I received an obviously misdialed page instructing me to call the nurse because the circulation in the patient's leg was getting worse. I am a high voltage electrician. Of course I called the number displayed immediately and explained what had happened.

My phone number was one digit off from the private line at the nearby McDonalds. I got them to change theirs! When I would get early morning calls from some employee calling in sick or something, I would simply say "OK, I'll let 'em know" and hang up!

Welcome to my whining!

This blog is entirely for entertainment purposes. All posts about patients may be fictional, or be my experience, or were submitted by a reader, or any combination of the above. Factual statements may or may not be accurate.

Singing Foo!

Have Dr. Grumpy delivered automatically to your Kindle for only 99 cents a month! Sign up here!

Dr. Grumpy is for hire! Need an article written (humorous, medical, or otherwise) or want to commission a genuine Grumpy piece for your newspaper/magazine/toilet paper roll? Contact me to discuss subjects. You can reach me at the email address below, or through my Linked-In profile.

Note: I do not answer medical questions. If you are having a medical issue, see your own doctor. For all you know I'm really a Mongolian yak herder and have no medical training at all except in issues regarding the care and feeding of Mongolian yaks.